What is your background and how did you get into the drinks industry?
I grew up in Hong Kong and moved to the UK in 2008 to study food science at the University of Nottingham, where I later completed a PhD in flavour chemistry. It was during this time that I met my husband and co-founder of Saicho, Charlie.
My fondness of food and drink extends beyond study. Charlie and I have a shared passion exploring flavours, cuisines and culture through culinary experiences. However, having an alcohol intolerance myself, it was seeing Charlie’s delight enjoying food and wine pairings which made me feel my experiences were lacking.
Natalie Chiu and her husband Charlie - founders of Saicho
This came to a head one evening at an upscale restaurant. With limited soft drink options, I settled for my usual glass of tap water while Charlie was immersed in stories of far-flung vineyards and guided through the intricate nuances of wine pairings. As each vintage was expertly matched to the dish’s tones and textures, it became clear that I was missing out on an essential part of the fine dining experience.
That moment sparked a realisation - why wasn’t there a non-alcoholic drink with the same depth, heritage, and ability to elevate food?
What made you start up a sparkling tea brand?
I drew inspiration from my heritage, having grown up in Hong Kong where tea was an essential part of dining, offering an incredible range of flavours and depth. This sparked our journey to redefine how tea could be enjoyed alongside food. Our goal with Saicho is to celebrate the exceptional quality and versatility of tea, bringing it to the finest dining tables worldwide.
Saicho is made using carefully selected single-origin teas, each cold-brewed for 24 hours to extract delicate flavours and aromas. Cold brewing is key to unlocking the most nuanced and refined flavours in tea. Unlike hot brewing, which can draw out excessive bitterness and astringency, cold brewing gently extracts the floral, fruity, and umami notes while keeping the tannins smooth and balanced.
Saicho's quality rests on the quality of the tea and where it is sourced from
After brewing, the tea is lightly sweetened with grape juice and balanced with acidity before being gently sparkled to enhance its complexity. The result is a sparkling tea with rich character and depth, perfect for pairing with food or enjoying on its own.
It is a brave step launching any new drinks brand but particularly into such a new category - what gave you the confidence to do so?
While the sparkling tea category is still emerging, we saw a gap in the market for a truly premium non-alcoholic option that could stand up to the complexity and depth of fine wine. The growing consumer demand for sophisticated no- and low-alcohol options reinforced our belief that people were looking for something beyond traditional soft drinks. We also believed in our product - its quality, craftsmanship, and its ability to enhance the dining experience. That conviction, along with positive feedback from early adopters in the hospitality industry, gave us the confidence to push forward.
What have you found the most challenging about launching a new brand and how have you got through it?
One of the biggest challenges has been educating both consumers and the trade about sparkling tea - what it is and why it deserves a place alongside fine wines. We’ve tackled this by engaging directly with sommeliers, chefs, and retailers, immersing them in the craftsmanship behind Saicho and demonstrating its versatility as a food-pairing drink. By building relationships with key industry figures and securing a presence in prestigious dining establishments, we’ve been able to drive awareness and position Saicho as a sophisticated non-alcoholic alternative.
What have you found the most rewarding - the biggest highlights?
Saicho has worked closely with fine dining restaurantrs and is now in over 70 Michelin star restaurants around the world. Picture Johnny Stephens
Seeing Saicho featured on the menus of some of the world’s finest restaurants has been incredibly rewarding. It validates our belief that there is space for sparkling tea in the fine dining world. Collaborating with talented chefs and sommeliers to create pairings and elevate the dining experience has been a real highlight. Additionally, consumer feedback -when someone tells us Saicho gave them an elegant alternative to alcohol - is always a special moment.
How is the sparkling tea market doing in the UK and globally?
The no- and low-alcohol category is experiencing strong growth globally, with consumers increasingly looking for sophisticated alternatives to alcohol. Sparkling tea has been recognised as a rising star, with The Drinks Business naming it the number one trend for 2025 in its "Biggest No and Low Trends" report. The UK is at the forefront of this movement, and we are seeing strong interest from other key markets, including Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Which channels of the market are you targeting and why?
We are primarily focused on premium hospitality, including fine dining restaurants and luxury hotels, where there is a strong appreciation for quality and craftsmanship. We also see opportunities in retail, particularly in specialist food and drink stores and luxury department stores.
Are you looking to work with premium restaurants and sommeliers?
Absolutely. Fine dining is at the heart of our strategy, and we work closely with sommeliers to showcase how Saicho can complement and enhance the dining experience. We believe sparkling tea deserves a place on the menu alongside fine wines and other premium drinks.
We are also one of the sponsors of the UK's Top 100 Sommelier Awards, further reinforcing our commitment to working with and supporting the sommelier community.
If so, how should sommeliers look to match Saicho with food – do you have any good recommendations?
Each of our teas has a distinct flavour profile, making them ideal for pairing with different types of food. For example, our Darjeeling sparkling tea, with its muscatel notes and crisp acidity, pairs beautifully with grilled meats and roast vegetables. Hojicha, with its roasted umami character, complements umami-rich dishes such as mushroom risotto. Jasmine tea, with its floral elegance, works wonderfully with lightly spiced dishes and creamy desserts.
Low and no is typically not served that well in fine dining on trade in terms of serious drinks to go with serious food – how would you like to see that change?
Fine dining has evolved, and we’re seeing a growing commitment to crafting sophisticated non-alcoholic pairings. Saicho is now featured in over 70 Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide, many of which have developed exceptional non-alcoholic pairing menus using sparkling teas and other wine alternatives.
While there is still room for improvement in some venues, we are encouraged by the increasing effort and creativity that chefs and sommeliers are dedicating to their non-alcoholic offerings.
How are you working with the UK on trade – any key accounts you want to tell us about?
We are fortunate to work across many aspects of the on-trade, from afternoon tea at luxury hotels such as The Peninsula, where our Darjeeling has become a signature offering alongside their renowned pastry selection, to fine dining restaurants that embrace our vision of elevated non-alcoholic pairings.
Saicho is seen as a premium drink to match with afternoon tea
Saicho is now served in more than 30 Michelin-starred establishments in the UK, including Restaurant A Wong, where our Jasmine and Darjeeling teas complement their contemporary Cantonese cuisine - Jasmine, being a Chinese tea, pairs particularly well with their refined dishes; Da Terra, where Chef Rafael Cagali features our Hojicha in a dedicated non-alcoholic pairing menu; and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, where the sommeliers have embraced our sparkling teas as part of their premium drinks offerings.
Beyond dining, Saicho is gaining traction in innovative cocktail bars like Sexy Fish, where award-winning bartenders are exploring our unique flavour profiles in sophisticated alcoholic and non-alcoholic serves. Our partnerships with sommeliers, chefs, and mixologists continue to grow as we build long-term relationships with establishments that share our vision for redefining premium non-alcoholic drinking experiences.
What is your longer-term distribution strategy – both in the UK and globally
Our goal is to establish Saicho as the leading sparkling tea brand in the premium hospitality sector, both in the UK and internationally. We are expanding our presence in key markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Anything else to add?
Saicho is about celebrating the beauty of tea in a new and innovative way, and we can’t wait to continue sharing our journey with more people around the world.
* You can find out more about Saicho and its sparkling tea drinks here.
* You can taste them for yourself at this week's London Wine Fair.
